Destination Parks Pay Parking

Pay parking is in effect for Lighthouse, Whyte Lake/Nelson Canyon, Whytecliff, Cypress Falls, Seaview Walk, and Ambleside parks.

Pay parking in these parks is in effect year-round, between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

For questions, please contact Impark at 1-833-374-7275, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or visit Impark - Customer Assistance.

To pay for a ticket, please visit Impark - Pay a Parking Notice.

Update: July 7, 2026

Effective Tuesday, July 7, 2026, visitors at Ambleside Park will be able to receive 90 minutes of free parking.

To receive the 90-minute free parking period, users must start a PayByPhone session and enter their licence plate. A session can be started:

in the PayByPhone app
on the PayByPhone website
by calling PayByPhone at 604-909-PARK (7275)

Each licence plate is eligible for one free 90-minute session per day. If a parking session is not started in PayByPhone, regular parking rates apply.

For visitors who wish to stay longer than the 90-minute period, paid parking at the rate of $2.50 per hour is required for the remaining time beyond 90 minutes. Additional time can be purchased using the hangTag or PayByPhone mobile apps, or at a physical pay station.

West Vancouver residents with a valid annual parking pass do not need to register for the 90 minutes of free parking.

Resident pass

Residents of the District of West Vancouver may apply for an annual parking pass at no cost to the resident. Applicants must provide proof of current vehicle registration to an address in West Vancouver and applications are subject to verification which takes approximately two business days to process.

Each pass is issued to an individual vehicle/license plate. There are no limits to the number of passes per resident, and each pass will be valid for all West Vancouver parks in the program. These resident passes can be acquired at any time during the year through the Impark website and will be valid for 365 days from the date of approval. Resident passes must be renewed every year. To renew your pass, log into your hangTag account and follow the instructions.

Please note that there are no physical passes required or provided by Impark; resident passes are tied to a specific license plate and vehicle registration.

Apply for a resident pass at impark.com/westvan. For questions, please contact Impark at 1-833-374-7275.

Ways to pay for parking when in the park

Two mobile applications are available to pay for parking in West Vancouver, PayByPhone and hangTag. Both apps can be downloaded through Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Update: May 14, 2026

At its regular Council Meeting on Monday, May 11, Council passed a motion to provide an initial 90-minute free parking session at Ambleside Park, as soon as practical.

As this represents a change to the current parking rate structure, staff are working with the District’s parking operator to determine the most practical and effective approach for implementation. An amendment to the Fees and Charges Bylaw is also required before the change can be introduced.

At this time, there is no confirmed implementation date, and operational details are still being finalized, including how the 90-minute free parking session will be provided to the public.

Further information will be shared once details have been confirmed.

In addition to the 90-minute free parking direction, Council also passed motions to:
- update the existing 2019 Ambleside Off-Street Parking Study
- include additional parking data collected through the pay parking program to date
- expand the study scope to include the Dundarave commercial area and consider integration of pay parking with District parks adjacent to the Ambleside and Dundarave commercial areas
- fund the updated study through pay parking revenue
- bring forward terms of reference for the study update
- have consultants complete a regional scan of parking management practices and seek stakeholder input to inform options and recommendations
- complete the consultant parking study as soon as possible, preferably for implementation in 2027
- investigate appropriate locations for signage along the 1300 to 1600 blocks of Bellevue Avenue to encourage people using parking in the area to support local businesses
Update: May 7, 2026

The District has heard questions from businesses, residents, and park users about how pay parking may be affecting parking availability in Ambleside. To support informed discussion, staff have reviewed parking usage data from previous years and recent counts collected this year.

A high-level summary of parking usage data can be found in the Parking Data dropdown below.

Update: February 24, 2026

At a special closed Council meeting, held on Thursday, February 19, Council directed staff to extend the seasonal rate of $2.50/hour in Ambleside Park through to the end of 2026 while park users adjust to the new program and staff continue to monitor its impacts and collect data. The seasonal rate for Ambleside Park was introduced in November 2025 in response to stakeholder feedback.

Council also directed staff to hold a stakeholders roundtable session to review feedback already received, gather additional input, and report back to Council with a summary to help guide future decisions.

Stakeholders were identified in the staff report titled Pay Parking Update, received by Council on July 7, 2025, as:

Commercial tenants, sports field user groups, summer camps, event organizers, as well as other long-time stewards/community partners and other paying park users [who] are likely to face more complex impacts should fees for parking be introduced in Ambleside Park (e.g. potential organizational or budgetary impacts).

Staff will reach out to each stakeholder group to invite representatives to participate in the roundtable. For questions, please email [email protected].

November 28, 2025 Update

Beginning November 28, the District is piloting four physical pay stations in Ambleside Park for a trial period of one year. Visitors to this park may pay using a credit card at a physical pay station or using the existing mobile app and call-in payment options.

October 23, 2025 Update

Beginning Saturday, November 1, seasonal hourly pricing for parking in Ambleside Park will be in effect. The seasonal rate will be $2.50/hour, including taxes, and will be in effect until May 31, 2026.

At a special Council meeting held on Wednesday, October 22, Council adopted the proposed amendments to the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 5334, 2024 and the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 5383, 2025 (Ambleside Park Parking Fee Adjustments). View the Council agenda.

As directed by Council, staff will include an update on seasonal rate options as part of the six-month implementation report for the Ambleside Park pay parking program, expected in spring 2026.

October 21, 2025 Update

At their regular Council meeting on Monday, October 20, 2025, Mayor and Council released for information a decision made at an earlier closed meeting to implement a seasonal hourly rate for pay parking in Ambleside Park. The seasonal rate will be $2.50/hour, including taxes, and will take effect as soon as operationally possible, remaining in place until May 31, 2026.

Council also directed staff to include an update on seasonal rate options as part of the six-month implementation report for Ambleside Park pay parking program, expected in spring 2026.

September 15, 2025 Update

Effective September 15, pay parking is in effect for Ambleside Park. Pay parking will be implemented in all areas of the park, except where Squamish Nation is the rightsholder. Also beginning September 15, the District will pilot two physical pay stations, one installed in Lighthouse Park and one in Whytecliff Park, for a trial period of one year.

Pay parking in these parks is in effect year-round, between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week. Visitors to the parks will be able to pay for parking through the hangTag and PayByPhone mobile apps or on the Impark website. Signage with QR codes linking users to pay for parking can be found in the parking lots.

In addition to the existing mobile apps, visitors to Lighthouse Park and Whytecliff Park will also be able to pay for parking using a credit card at a pay station.

Resident passes are valid for all parks in the program, including Ambleside Park. If you have already been issued an annual parking pass as a West Vancouver resident, you do not need to apply again.

May 1, 2025 Update

Effective May 1, pay parking is in effect for Cypress Falls Park and Seaview Walk Park. The addition of these two parks builds upon the Destination Parks Pay Parking program launched in 2024 in Lighthouse Park, Whyte Lake/Nelson Canyon Park, and Whytecliff Park. Also beginning on May 1, vehicles with Veterans or Memorial Cross license plates and vehicles displaying a valid accessible parking placard will be exempt from the Destination Parks Pay Parking Program.

February 2025 Update

At their regular Council meeting on Monday, February 10, Council adopted an amendment to the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 5334, 2024 to reduce the annual local resident parking pass fee from $20 to $0. The amendment is effective for any new permits issued effective February 12, 2025.
Discussion and Council consideration around pay parking within destination District parks has been taking place for the last 25 years.

At their regular meeting on May 8, 2023, Council directed staff to initiate the initial phase of a pay parking program to include Lighthouse, Nelson Canyon, and Whytecliff parks. Read the Destination Parks Pay Parking Program Implementation report here.

At the regular Council meeting on July 22, 2024, staff presented an update on the implementation of pay parking at three destination parks. View the staff report and presentation.

Net revenue from this program will be reinvested into the subject parks, and other operational and/or capital costs.

The Destination Parks Pay Parking Program aligns with the 2012 Parks Master Plan, which states as one of its core values:
• Prudent financial stewardship and management.

Recommendation 4.6.1 in that Plan states the following:
• Consider potential revenue generation uses in terms of the potential management benefits associated with charging for use, e.g., dive schools fees, more concessions/cafes, picnic shelter booking charge, vending machines, equipment rentals, advertising on park maps.

The District is committed to ensuring that our parks are welcoming and accessible to all members of our community. The pay parking program is designed to ensure equitable access to parking spaces for all park visitors. The program helps manage parking availability, maintain park infrastructure, and fund various amenities and services that benefit everyone who utilizes these spaces.

Parking data

To support informed discussion, the District has collected parking usage data for the Ambleside Park area.

The images below provide a high-level summary of parking usage data collected before and after pay parking was implemented in Ambleside Park. All parking counts including parking utilization data (which measures demand for parking). Some studies also included parking duration or dwell time (which measures how long vehicles are parked).

A graph showing parking demand over time.

The parking utilization rate (%) measures how many parking spaces are in use compared to the total number of spaces available. Utilization higher than 85% indicates high demand for parking and is the threshold where people may need to circulate the block to find a spot.

In June 2024, peak utilization in the commercial area reached 86% on weekdays and 94% on weekends. In March 2026, peak utilization reached 88% at 1 p.m. on weekdays and 78% at 11 a.m. on weekends. In May 2026, peak weekday utilization reached 81% at 11 a.m., while peak weekend utilization reached 83% at 12 p.m. before easing to 78% at 1 p.m.

These results show that street parking utilization in the commercial area after Ambleside Park pay parking was implemented is similar to utilization before implementation. While overall parking demand varies across the Ambleside commercial area, certain blocks, such as Bellevue Avenue between 13th Street and 15th Street, consistently experience higher occupancy during peak periods.

Parking duration or dwell time measures how long people stay in a parking space. Short-duration visits continue to represent the majority of parking activity, and most people comply with posted 2-hour on-street parking time limits.

Month	% of visitors staying for 60 minutes or less	% of visitors staying for 120 minutes or less
September 2018	81%	-
November 2025	65%	90%
March 2026	67%	91%
May 2026	62%	90%

*note that data reflects observed usage at measured times

Has parking in the commercial area become significantly worse?

Current data does not show a significant change in commercial-area parking usage compared with data collected before pay parking was introduced.

Does parking data explain how businesses are performing?

Not by itself. Parking data can show occupancy and availability trends, but it does not on its own explain business conditions or sales trends, which may be influenced by many other factors.

Has parking lot use in Ambleside Park decreased?

Recent monitoring shows the park continues to experience seasonal high parking demand.

How much parking data has been collected?

Since 2018, the District has completed more than eight parking counts of the Ambleside Village area, including one comprehensive study parking study completed in 2019.
Data was collected on one weekday and one weekend day in the following months before pay parking was introduced:

April 2018
September 2018
June 2024
August 2025

Data has been collected on one weekday and one weekend day in the following months after pay parking was introduced:

October 2025
November 2025
March 2026
May 2026

Additional data collection will continue through summer 2026.

At the June 22, 2026, Regular Council Meeting, Council endorsed draft Terms of Reference for an Ambleside and Dundarave parking study and directed staff to initiate a public comment period on the Terms of Reference. One component of the study is to review parking data collected from 2018 to 2026 and amalgamate for analysis. Learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

The hourly rate for parking in Lighthouse, Whyte Lake/Nelson Canyon, Whytecliff, Cypress Falls, Seaview Walk parks is $5.08/hr, including applicable taxes.

The hourly, seasonal rate for parking in Ambleside Park is $2.50/hour, including taxes. This rate came into effect on November 1, 2025 and has been extended through December 31, 2026. Beginning July 7, 2026, visitors at Ambleside Park will be able to receive 90 minutes of free parking by starting a parking session using PayByPhone.

There is a convenience fee charged once per transaction (hangTag $0.30 and PayByPhone $0.35).
Council has heard feedback from the community and recognizes that Ambleside Park is a unique, high-activity destination. The park serves a wide variety of user groups and stakeholders, and Council understands that people need time to adjust to pay parking. To support continued access to Ambleside Park, especially during peak usage, the District will keep the current $2.50/hour rate, including taxes, through 2026.

Maintaining this lower rate supports the goals of the District’s Destination Parks Pay Parking Program while responding to concerns from families, sports groups, and local businesses. This approach is informed by parking-use data and community feedback, helps manage demand during busy times, and generates revenue for park maintenance.

Pausing any additional changes to the Ambleside Park pay parking program lets park users adapt while staff continue to monitor potential impacts and collect data. To support this work, the District has started a parking data collection program to monitor potential parking impacts in the nearby commercial and residential areas.
While Council directed staff to take an inform approach to the pay parking program, stakeholders have continued to provide valuable feedback to Council about pay parking in Ambleside Park. Council has directed staff to make program adjustments that respond to community concerns, including:
- Creation of a weekday loading zone for the Ambleside Daycare to facilitate drop off and pick-up.
- Providing no-cost parking for West Vancouver School District staff and coaches during school practices and games at Ambleside Park and for District volunteers engaged in activities supporting the betterment of a District park or trail, or while on duty for District-led activities.
- Introducing a Community Partner Parking Pass for approved non-profit sports group volunteers and staff at the cost of $20/month for the sport season.
- Reducing the parking rate to $2.50/hour, including taxes, during the low season in response to concerns about affordability and spillover parking, and to promote better access.
- Increased on-street parking enforcement near Ambleside Park to address spillover parking concerns. The 2026 budget includes additional resources for on-street parking enforcement.
- Providing an initial 90-minute free parking session at Ambleside Park.
Council also directed staff to hold a stakeholders roundtable session to review feedback already received, gather additional input, and report back to Council with a summary to help guide future decisions.
In fall 2025, Council made some adjustments to pay parking in Ambleside Park in response to stakeholder feedback. One change was to reduce the hourly parking rate from $5.08/hour (including taxes) to a seasonal rate of $2.50/hour (including taxes). The low seasonal rate went into effect on November 1, 2025, and was anticipated to be in place until May 31, 2026.

At a special closed Council meeting, held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, Council directed staff to extend the seasonal rate of $2.50/hour to the end of the year. Extending the $2.50/hour rate and pausing any additional changes to the program lets park users adjust to the new program while staff continue to monitor potential impacts and collect data.

The parking rate of $2.50/hour, including taxes, is lower than parking fees at comparable parks on the North Shore and in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. With the extension of this low rate, Ambleside Park will be the least expensive park with pay parking on the North Shore through the summer.
Yes, vehicles with a Veterans or Memorial Cross licence plate and vehicles which display a valid accessible parking placard are exempt. Vehicles with a SPARC card are not required to be parked in a designated parking stall.

Residents of the District of West Vancouver are eligible for an annual parking pass at no cost. To qualify, applicants must apply and provide proof of current vehicle registration to a West Vancouver address. Applications are subject to verification, which takes approximately two business days to process. Apply for a resident pass at impark.com/westvan.
Park visitors may pay for parking using the hangTag or PayByPhone mobile apps, the PaybyPhone call-in payment option, or directly on the hangTag website (accessed by scanning the QR code on signs in the respective parking lots). Use the location number displayed on parking signage to select the correct lot.

At Ambleside Park, Lighthouse Park, and Whytecliff Park, visitors may also pay using a credit card at a physical pay station. Cards must be inserted into the machine; contactless payment, or “tap to pay,” is not available.

Watch a short video about how to pay for parking in West Vancouver parks.
Park visitors using the hangTag or PayByPhone mobile apps, the PaybyPhone call-in payment option, or the hangTag website to pay for parking can extend their parking session without returning to the parking lot using the same payment method.

Visitors using a physical pay station will need to either return to the pay station to pay for additional time or extend the time by using hangTag or PayByPhone app. Paying for additional time will not extend the previous session, even if there is paid time remaining.
There are currently physical pay stations available at Ambleside Park, Lighthouse Park and Whytecliff Park. Pay stations were installed at Lighthouse Park and Whytecliff Park in September 2025 for a trial period of one year, and in Ambleside Park in December 2025 for a trial period of one year.

There are no physical pay stations at the other parks in this program. The parking industry has seen a move towards mobile applications such as PaybyPhone and static QR code-based payment portals.

Visitors without a smartphone and/or data may also use the PaybyPhone call-in payment option, which only requires a cell phone with a local calling plan.

Watch a short video about how to pay for parking in West Vancouver parks.
You may apply for resident passes at any time during the year through the Impark website at impark.com/westvan. West Vancouver residents must provide proof of current vehicle registration (Owner’s Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle License) to an address in West Vancouver. Applications are subject to verification which takes approximately two business days to process.

Each pass is issued to an individual vehicle/license plate. Each pass will be valid for all parks in the program for 365 days from the date of approval. Resident passes must be renewed every year. To renew your pass, log into your hangTag account and follow instructions.

Please note that there are no physical passes required or provided by Impark; resident passes are tied to specific license and vehicle registration.

For questions, please contact Impark at 1-833-374-7275, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Engaging a third-party parking operator significantly reduces start-up costs associated with equipment procurement, installation, maintenance, and staffing. By partnering with an external company, we can effectively transfer most, if not all, operational costs onto the operator. This approach allows us to better control our operating expenses, ultimately benefiting our municipality and its residents.

The District conducted an open and public procurement process and Imperial Parking, commonly known as Impark, was the successful third-party operator for this initial phase of the program.